"Retro" Salads or "Just Plain Weird"?

"Retro" Salads or "Just Plain Weird"?

These salad recipes come from the Toll House, where chocolate chip cookies were invented, and date from at least 1948. I thought they were kind of bizarre. I usually find stuff like this in vintage cookbooks. Anybody else have the same experience and want to share some recipes? Thanks.

"CARROT" SALAD (or "Let's mess with the Easter bunny's mind.")

Season cottage or cream cheese with salt and pepper, and soften with a little cream. Shape into small "carrots". Roll in grated raw carrot and insert a carrot leaf or two in large end. Serve on lettuce with French or Mayonnaise dressing. Allow 2 "carrots" for each serving.

GINGER AND PEAR SALAD

Cut peeled pears lengthwise in thin slices. Arrange in circles on lettuce be, so that slices form petals of a flower. Put a little chopped ginger in center of each. Use strips of green pepper for stems. Serve mayonnaise seperately. Allow 1 pear for each serving.

Here's a couple of funky appetizer recipes from the same Toll House cookbook. Maybe some of you will dig these, I don't know.

SEAFOOD MORSELS

Pierce hot fried scallops, oysters, clams, shrimps, or tiny fish balls with toothpicks and arrange on a tray around a center of cabbage, eggplant, or red cabbage, which has been hollowed and filled with Russian Dressing to dip fish into.

BROILED FRUIT BITS

Roll in bacon strips pineapple wedges, pieces of orange or grapefruit peel, or 1-inch squares of watermelon (!), pear, peach, or any spiced fruit. Fasten with a toothpick and broil.

Thanks, Lone Star, I was just thinking of the candle salad with mayo melted wax dripping down the banana and couldn't remember where I saw it.

My great-aunt used to make Mrs. Peachy salads - an inverted canned peach half on a lettuce leaf with thin strips of Velveeta (peeled off with the vegetable peeler) for hair, a half maraschino cherry mouth and raisin eyes.

This thread reminds me of some recipes in a kid's cookbook I had - I think it was put out under the Better Homes & Gardens stamp. One highlight was a two-page spread of animal-shaped "salads" based on bananas. My favorite was the Mouse Salad - a banana half with almond ears, raisin eyes and a licorice string for the tail. There was also a Monster Salad made from a banana coated with mayonnaise and rolled in green-tinted coconut "fur."

Actually, except for the hyper-cautious tone - the instructions would say things like "ask an adult to turn on the oven," and Step One in every recipe was "wash your hands," - it was a pretty decent cookbook.

Here's a couple more from another vintage cookbook (c. 1950)--one's an appetizer, the other's a salad.

"WEDGIES" (I got a kick out of the title.)

Spread 4 slices of large bologna or minced ham with softened cream cheese seasoned with onions or chives and mustard. Place slices together (like a layer cake). Spread with cheese over top and sides, decorate with sliced olives. Chill. Cut into wedges.

JACK-O-LANTERN SALAD BOWL ("For Hallowe'en entertaining")

Cut Jack-0-Lantern face in hollowed out pumpkin. Line with cabbage leaves. Fill with Cabbage-Pineapple Salad or other salad for Hallowe'en entertaining. (Cabbage leaves prevent salad from falling through slits.)

Cut each hard-cooked egg lengthwise into quarters...dipping back of each into partially set gelatin to help it stick. Press each section into the mound of salad. The circle of eggs looks like a jewelled crown.

Can our stomachs take a couple more c.1950? Here's one for pasta lovers:

LUMBERJACK MACARONI

Spread out on large hot platter...Boiled Macaroni (8 oz. uncooked).Sprinkle with 2 c grated American cheese, 2-4 TBSP or more of Worcestershire sauce, 1/4 c chili sauce, salt and pepper.Pour over all 3/4 c of piping hot melted butter. Mix with two forks until sauce is creamy. Serve at once on hot plates.

Here's an idea...wouldn't it be interesting to prepare one of the recipes on this thread and take it to a potluck or something? I'd be curious to know how many people would dig in; it would also be funny to hear some of the comments. Maybe even get some requests for the recipe.

GRAMPY: Answer me this, will you please? Regarding your post on Japanese pizza...they don't use cheese on pizza in Japan? Is that correct? What is that white stuff on top? Mayo? (It doesn't look like mozzarella.) Do they even eat cheese in Japan? I need some educating on this. Thanks. Also, you know, you COULD sneak one of these recipes anonymously onto a potluck table someplace just to see the reaction and response to it. 'Fess up if you get any positive feedback.

GRAMPY: Thanks for the reply! I imagine you're having a martini about now, is that correct? My favorite libation, but only when I go out to dinner. Bombay Sapphire martini, extra dry (just wave the vermouth bottle over the glass), on the rocks, with an olive. (My everyday libation is a glass of Provencal rose.) Cheers!